Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee have arrived on Nintendo Switch, marking the series' proper debut on the hybrid console. While not exact remakes of Pokemon Yellow, the pair follow its template very closely, featuring the same general setting, story beats, and the original 151 Pokemon (plus their Alolan variants, which could be acquired either from certain NPCs or by transferring them over from Pokemon Go).

Despite their many similarities to Yellow, Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee do introduce some new elements to the series--most notably Meltan, a brand-new Mythical Pokemon that hasn't appeared in any previous mainline Pokemon game. Fittingly for a Mythical Pokemon, Meltan can't be acquired through normal means, so we've put together a guide explaining just how you can add it and its evolved form Melmetal--along with their Shiny variants--to your collection.

How To Catch Meltan

The key to getting a Meltan in Let's Go involves connecting the games to Pokemon Go. As previously mentioned, you can link the mobile title to Let's Go via Bluetooth and transfer any Gen 1 Pokemon you've captured there over to the Switch games. The Pokemon you've transferred will then appear in the Go Park, a new facility that replaces the Safari Zone in Fuchsia City. See our full guide to connecting Go and Let's Go for more details.

To begin a transfer, simply speak to the receptionist at the front desk of the Go Park and follow the on-screen prompts. This is a one-way process; any Pokemon you send from Go to Let's Go can't be returned to the mobile game. However, you'll need to complete at least one transfer in order to catch Meltan, as sending a Pokemon to Let's Go will reward you with a special item in Go: the Mystery Box.

The Mystery Box is the key to summoning Meltan in Pokemon Go. Once opened, the Mythical Pokemon will begin appearing in the wild for a limited time, and you'll be able to capture it just as you would any other monster. However, you'll need to act quickly to catch as many as you can; the Mystery Box only remains open for 30 minutes, and you'll need to wait a full seven days before you can activate it again by transferring another Pokemon.

While you can typically only transfer the original 151 Pokemon, Meltan is the sole exception. Once you've managed to catch one in Go, you'll be able to send it over to the Let's Go titles the same way you would any Gen 1 Pokemon. You'll then be able to recapture it in the Go Park to add it to your team.

At the moment, this is the only way to obtain Meltan in either Go or Let's Go. You won't be able to find it in the wild in the Switch games, so if you're hoping to add one to your collection, you'll need to link the two titles together. However, The Pokemon Company has teased that a new Special Research questline revolving around Meltan will be available for Pokemon Go players sometime this winter, suggesting there will be other ways to acquire it in the future.

Meltan is a pure Steel-type Pokemon that stands at eight inches tall, making it one of the smallest monsters in the Pokemon universe. While it may not look particularly intimidating, it does have a notable distinction: Meltan is the first Mythical Pokemon capable of evolving, and it's able to grow into a hulking monster called Melmetal.

How To Evolve Meltan

As before, Pokemon Go is the key to obtaining Melmetal. In order to evolve Meltan, you'll need to feed it enough Candy in Go, just as you would evolve most other Pokemon in the mobile game. These are acquired each time you catch a Meltan or send one to Professor Willow, but be warned: you're going to need to capture a lot of Meltans if you're hoping to get its evolution, as the Mythical Pokemon requires a whopping 400 Candies to evolve.

Given how long it takes to reopen the Mystery Box, amassing enough Candy to evolve Meltan is a daunting prospect. Fortunately, if you've stocked up on Rare Candies, you'll be able to use them to expedite the process. You can also feed Pinap Berries to Meltan during the capture phase, which will increase the number of Candies you receive if you successfully catch it. Once you've evolved Meltan, you can transfer your Melmetal to the Let's Go games and recapture it in the Go Park.

Just as its base form, Melmetal is a pure Steel-type Pokemon. According to the series' lore, it was worshiped in ancient times because of its ability to create metal. It is also capable of learning a brand-new move called Double Iron Bash, a two-hit Steel-type attack that can make the opposing Pokemon flinch.

Shiny Meltan

Like all other Pokemon, Meltan also has a Shiny variant, which sports a darker head and a blue (rather than red) tail. As is the case with other Shinies, however, it is exceedingly rare. Currently, the only way to obtain a Shiny Meltan is through a new limited-time event in Pokemon Go that runs from February 5 to March 4. During that time, you'll have a chance of encountering a Shiny Meltan when you open the Mystery Box. The amount of time you need to wait to reopen the Mystery Box has also been reduced by three days, allowing you to find Meltan more quickly than usual.

It's unclear if Shiny Meltan will be obtainable outside of this limited-time event, but if you're lucky enough to capture one, you can transfer it over to Let's Go Pikachu or Eevee and use it in the Switch games. Any Shiny Meltan that evolve will also retain their special coloration, making this your first opportunity to get a Shiny Melmetal.